A Laser Range Imaging System for Verifying the Identity and Integrity of Closure Welds

A. Busboom and V. Sequeira (Italy)

Keywords

3D and range data analysis, laser scanning, weld authenti
cation.

Abstract

A system for verifying the identity and integrity of clo
sure welds on metal containers for security applications
is proposed. The system uses laser range imaging and is
based on the assumption that each weld has a unique three–
dimensional structure which cannot be copied or forged.
Therefore by authenticating the closure weld, the metal
container can be uniquely identified, and it can be detected
whether the closure weld has been tampered with. In the
proposed system, a range image of the weld is acquired
using a laser line scanner which the weld is swept by.
The range image is cleaned up in several pre–processing
steps, eliminating the need for any calibration and making
the system highly tolerant to mechanical alignment errors.
Several feature functions are extracted along the weld. The
authentication is based on a dissimilarity measure between
the feature functions of an authentication scan and a previ
ously acquired and archived reference scan.